Mainstream Products That Are Secretly Vegan

26 Mainstream Products You Never Knew Were Vegan

Say what you want about vegan fare — it tastes like dirt, it’s bland, you can only eat it while gloating and donning Birkenstocks, etc. — but there’s a good chance a lot of the food in your pantry is vegan without you even knowing it.

Unbeknownst to you, plant-loving spies hidden within the food industry are tricking us into eating foods that taste like fudge, pizza, milk chocolate, caramel, you name it, but don’t actually contain any traces of milk or egg product whatsoever.

While the use of these vegan-friendly recipes aren’t as sinister as I’m making it out to be, my primary objective is to prove that there is indeed delicious vegan food available to the public, whether you’re vegan or not.

Take a look at this surprising compilation of deceptively vegan mainstream foods.

Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup

Hershey’s

Chocolate. Syrup. Vegan? Indeed. This might not be the most appealing description, but Hershey’s chocolate syrup is essentially chocolate-flavored high fructose corn syrup. Regardless, it’s delicious. And vegan.

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Pillsbury

How is it that the most buttery retail rolls actually contain no butter at all? You may be surprised to discover that this taste is actually achieved through a clever assortment of vegetable oils. Which ones? Ask the dough boy.

Nature's Valley Crunchy Granola Bars

Nature's Valley

Yes, these delicious, crumb-y bars are very much vegan. Their vegan flavors include: Apple Crisp, Peanut Butter, Roasted Almond, Maple Brown Sugar, Cinnamon, and Pecan Crunch. (These may contain small traces of honey, which can be a deterrent for some vegan diets.)

Teddy Grahams

Wikipedia

Despite being a great source of calcium, Teddy Grahams contain no milk or egg products, meaning your childhood favorite lunchroom snack was 100% cruelty free; you were an animal rights crusader and didn’t even know it.

Sara Lee Frozen Pies

Sara Lee Desserts

Those store-bought pies mom used to pass off as her own contain no animal products or by-products whatsoever. Vegan ice creams (made from soy, coconut milk, bananas, etc.) can also accompany the pie for an exceptional vegan dessert. The only vegan flavors, however, are Apple and Cherry.

Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili

Doritos

Just because you’re vegan doesn’t mean you have to miss out on one of junk food’s most precious, triangle-shaped delicacies: Doritos. Spicy Sweet Chili is one of Doritos only vegan flavors, but it’s also the best, so it’s still a win.

Herr’s Onion Flavored Rings

Herr's

This convenient snack food rendition of onion rings (which most of the time aren’t vegan) are as vegan as they come. Another item in the Herr’s lineup that contains no egg or daily is their Salsa & Lime Tortilla Chips.

Kettle Popcorn

Popcorn Indiana

If you’re not in the mood for chips, opt for popcorn with Kettle, one of the best popcorn products available at your local grocery store. There are quite a few vegan flavors to choose from as well, including: Maple Bacon (yes, bacon), Salt & Pepper, Sea Salt, and Sriracha.

Lay’s Kettle Cooked Potato Chips

Frito Lay

If you’re loyal to Lay’s but still want a healthy snack that conforms to your vegan ideals, you can snack on some of their flavors as well: 40% Less Fat Original, 40% Less Fat Sea Salt & Vinegar, Original, and Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper.